A Look Back Through My Beauty Archives
For a long time, this little corner of the internet was 90% about beauty and my love for makeup and skincare is still something I write about now. And over the past eight years I’ve certainly tried a huge number beauty products and shared my thoughts on them, some of them I still use to this day and some I’ve not returned back to for one reason or another. So I thought today I’d go back through my beauty archives and see what I wrote about the most and how my relationship has changed with those products, some of you might have even been around for those first posts which is pretty incredible.
LAURA MERCIER SILK CREME FOUNDATION
This is my first ever true foundation love, I still remember going to John Lewis when it had only just opened in Exeter and picking it up. It was the foundation that I bought for my graduation and every single time I applied it I felt on top of the world. It gave me so much confidence in myself when at the time I would say I was at my lowest due to cystic acne caused by the contraceptive implant as it covered everything on my face without making me feel like I was wearing a mask which so many foundations had done in the past. Sadly they’ve discontinued this specific formulation now and even though they have bought on a new one I’ve not tested it out for somewhat silly sentimental reasons as the original was so special to me and I doubt it can be beaten.
MAC LIPSTICKS
One of the first high-end makeup purchases I ever made was a Mac lipstick in the shade Hue after watching far too many Vivianna Wears Makeup (now known as The Anna Edit) videos. It was a pretty pinkish nude and I went onto purchase a few Mac lipsticks after my initial purchase including the elusive shade Cut A Caper which looking back was far too orange for me but I used and loved it anyway and even managed to find a dupe for it. These days I’m not much of a lipstick wearer in general so most of my lipsticks have found new homes and prefer a really good tinted balm over anything else as I don’t like to go for anything too high maintenance. If there is one thing I do miss about wearing a Mac lipstick is that sweet vanilla scent they had, it was so dreamy pulling off the cap and getting a whiff of vanilla.
ESSIE NAILPOLISH
A brand that you will still see frequently on this blog is Essie, I’ve used their polishes for close to ten years now and I don’t think that will change anytime soon. When I first discovered the brand it was before the diffusion line was released into Boots and Superdrug and you could only really find Essie on eBay or in Liberty. Naturally, as I’m not local to London I always used to scour eBay and they were always decently priced. The only downside is that the original Essie polishes come with a tiny fiddly little brush which doesn't make manicures that easy. My favourite shades were Absolutely Shore a pastel pale mint and then Ladylike which I think I’m going to have to pick up again as it’s the prettiest dusky pink.
bourjois base products
I've always enjoyed a good mix between high end and high street base products and a brand I once owned quite a lot from was Bourjois. I’ve got such fond memories of the brand from my childhood when my older sister purchased a purple eyeshadow and one of their tiny pot blushers when she went to France on a school trip. Being the little sister in our family meant I was always trying to steal her makeup so when I got to the age where I could afford my own I always wanted my very own little pot blusher and they released a few lovely cream blushers in 2012 (I believe) and they were a staple in my routine. The Healthy Mix Foundation and concealer were a popular product amongst beauty bloggers and it was a great base, it never quite matched my skin tone that well as Bourjois foundations aren’t known for their extensive shade range (well they weren’t at the time) but I did enjoy the formula a lot. A powder I adored from them was the Java Rice Powder and it was a budget-friendly version of the Mac MSF in Lightscapade and what kick-started my love for loose powder despite them being a faff to use.
bumble and bumble haircare
The Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray was something that every blogger loved and I was convinced that it was going to be the answer to my flat sad hair. And it was ok, it didn’t give me the beachy waves that I had hoped for though. But there are plenty of other products from the brand that I love, their hairdresser's range, in particular, is fantastic for damaged hair and smells incredible. However, the seaweed range is undeniably the best shampoo and conditioner I’ve ever used and something that I know I will come back to once I’ve used up all the other hair products I own. It was so good for getting all build up out of my hair without stripping it of any colour and always left me with the shiniest tresses ever. For a long time, I never believed that more premium haircare was worth it and it’s not a necessity by any means but if you can stretch for Bumble and Bumble products I highly rate them.
real techniques brushes
My first real foray into the world of brushes was with Real Techniques and still to this day I still think they’re fantastic brushes and something that I’d recommend to anyone who wants a good well-priced brush set to begin with. And for years these brushes dominated my collection until Zoeva came along and knocked many of them off the top spot but I still use some of them today. The Expert Face Brush, in particular, is a fantastic brush for concealer, foundation, powder, and blusher it's a real multitasker in my collection. Brushes are the one thing in your routine that if you look after them well with regular cleaning they will last you for years and my Real Techniques brushes are a real testament to that. Even though they’re not what I find myself reaching for on a regular basis anymore they’re still going strong and something I know I could still turn to if I needed to.
YSL products
YSL is a brand that I love for their beauty products, everything I’ve tried has been absolutely beautiful and for a long time, they were my go-to for foundation. The Touche Eclat Le Teint and the Youth Liberator are both in my top 10 foundations of all time to this day. They’ve always worked with my skin type so well and feel like an absolute dream when buffed in, especially the Touche Eclat Le Teint which is like a good nights sleep in a bottle. One product I loved whilst I owned but haven’t gone back to is the Babydoll mascara even though it’s hands down the best mascara I’ve ever used it did dry up quickly which is a shame because it is so good and the packaging is beautiful.
honourable mentions
17 Stay Time Concealer
Sleek blushers
Laura Mercier Body products
Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation
